Grade Appeals Policy

A student who wishes to file a grade appeal should contact the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Grade appeals are governed by the following policy approved by the Faculty of the School of law in September 1986 and amended in September 2003:

Any student seeking to appeal a grade given him or her by a faculty member may make his or her appeal to the Dean and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, but no change in the grade will be made unless the Dean and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs agree that the faculty member was arbitrary and capricious in awarding the grade. Students must file their appeal no later than April 15 for grades received for the previous fall semester and November 15 for grades received for the previous spring or summer semesters. In the case of a grade change (including completion of an incomplete), after March 15 for the previous fall semester or after October 15 for the previous spring and summer semesters, the student must file an appeal within thirty days of the entry of the grade.

This policy requires that the grade will stand unless both the Dean and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs agree the faculty member was arbitrary and capricious. The decision of the Dean and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs is final.

Grade appeals are conducted on a written record. The student shall submit to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs a written statement setting forth in detail the basis for the appeal. The student’s statement will be provided to the faculty member whose grade is the subject of the appeal. The faculty member shall then submit to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs a written statement setting forth the basis for the grade given. The Dean or Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may request additional information from either the student or faculty member. The decision reached shall be in writing and shall be provided to both the student and the faculty member.